Hey all,

Working on my first ARF, 40 sized Tucano, anyway it comes with one of those white tubes to put the antenna through the top of the fuse, but I was wondering if there would be any real disadvantage or loss of signal if I pushed it through one of the pushrod tubes? I prefer the antenna trailing behind the aircraft than suspended on top, for aesthetic reasons.

el-john-o, You can route the antenna thru an extra plastic tube mounted inside the fuselage (now called an "antenna tube") but NOT thru a pushrod tube that will have a pushrod operating in it also. The movement of the pushrod could wad up the antenna wire and jam the pushrod plus you don't ever want to run the antenna next to a metal part such as a steel pushrod. Also route the antenna so it doesn't contact any other wiring (servo, battery switch,etc.) or metal parts. Use a cutoff servo arm to make a stress relief (loop the ant. wire back & forth thru two holes) at the point it exits the fuselage so there in no pull on it at the RX. Use another cut off servo arm near the end of the ant. wire looped back & forth again but this one with an angled slop cut halfway thru to attach a rubber band to pull it to a fixed point to secure that end of the antenna. Let the rest of the length of antenna wire float in the breeze. Do not double it back on itself if it is longer than the fuselage, and it may be on your 40 size airplane. Have it somehow extended full length. Inside or outside dosen't matter just avoid other metal and wires(an inch or two away is all you need) and secure the ant. wire somehow. Sometimes chafe protection where it exits the fuselage is needed also(a rubber gromet or piece of fuel tubing).

dont put it with the control rod put in a seperate tube inside to run it out the back
you might get some binding possibly just not a good idea

OPPS, I did a typo>>>> I wrote "angled slop", I intended to write "angled slot" and didn't catch it in proof read.